Russian Roulette
by Caty-Cross
Summary: Zexion is gambling for his freedom and Marluxia isn't happy. It is a boy x boy story so avoid if you don't like!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** I have no idea where the idea for this one came from! It just popped into my head. I thought i'd be nice to Marluxia in this one :) Hope it's okay for all you Marluxia fans out there!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything but the plot :)

* * *

**Russian Roulette**

Marluxia paced the study. Luxord was sat in an armchair, staring at his distressed lover. Marluxia stopped pacing and ran a hand through his long pink hair. Luxord tilted his head to one side and waited for the tirade that was sure to come.

"Why?" Marluxia said finally, whirling around and placing his hands on either side of the chair. His dark pink-purple eyes stared into Luxord's blue ones with a mixture of anger, confusion and desperation. "Why do you need to do it?"

Luxord smiled lazily at Marluxia.

"Because he interests me."

"Because he interests you?" Marluxia gave a harsh, disbelieving laugh and straightened up. He put a hand over his eyes and wrapped his other arm around his slender waist. He drew a shaking breath, trying to get a hold on himself.

"And what happens if you lose?" He asked, taking his hand away from his eyes and clutching his upper arm tightly. "Did you think of that?"

Luxord simply smiled.

"I don't lose Marly." He said confidently.

"But you could! Even you have to lose sometimes! Luck doesn't last forever!" Marluxia shouted trying to get through to his over- confident boyfriend.

"Good job you'll be there then isn't it, my lucky charm."

Marluxia threw his arms into the air, tears starting in his eyes.

"What'll happen to Demyx if you lose!!? You're making him choose between his only remaining family member and the boy he's fallen in love with!" He gestured wildly, trying to get Luxord to take it seriously. "And Roxas? And Axel? And all of us? What'll we all do if you lose? We can't keep going without you! The group'll fall apart."

Tears were falling fast from his eyes now, like falling stars. His shoulders shook as he cried.

"What about me? What'll I do? I don't wanna go back to what I was before!"

Luxord rose to his feet. He walked over to Marluxia, who's slim frame was trembling with sobs. He placed a soft kiss on the pinkette's forehead, and then folded him into his arms. He held him close as he cried.

Luxord knew that if he lost against the boy, everything would fall.

Everything.

But he was still going to go through with it. He was well known for his gambling prowess.

But even the Gambler of Fate,

Can't cheat at Russian Roulette.

Zexion sat leaning on the cold wall of the room he was locked in. He leaned his head back against the stone. Light from the full moon filled his room, bathing him in a bright light. He took a deep breath. Tomorrow he would be free. Tomorrow, the long chain that was locked onto his wrist and the wall would be gone.

He heard voices outside the door.

"Okay Dem, but not long."

He heard a key in the lock. The door was pushed open.

A boy with a dirty blonde mohawk/mullet walked in. His sea-green eyes were full of confusion and desperation.

The door closed behind him.

They stared at each other for a minute.

Sea-green into silvery-purple.

"Why?" Demyx finally asked.

"My freedom." Zexion answered quietly.

"But what if you…" Demyx couldn't say the word.

"Die." Zexion finished it for him.

Demyx's gasp was almost inaudible.

He rushed over and crashed to his knees in front of the lilac haired boy.

He pulled him into a warm hug.

"Please don't do it. I could talk to my uncle! I could get you your freedom!" Demyx shuddered as he started to cry.

Zexion smiled sadly. He wrapped his arms around Demyx's waist.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to do it myself."

Demyx tightened his hold.

"But why like this? Uncle doesn't lose! And I don't wanna lose you!"

"I need to be free Demyx, and tomorrow… I'll be free either way."

Demyx pulled away from Zexion's arms, his eyes streaming with glittering, moonlit tears.

"You could be dead!" he sobbed. "That's not free!"

Zexion simply smiled.

"I'll be free." He said softly.

"But I lo…" Demyx started.

But Zexion placed his hand over Demyx's mouth.

"Please don't say it. Please." His smile was gone. He knew that if Demyx said those three words, he'd lose his resolve.

Zexion removed his hand, the long chain around his wrist clinking on the stone floor.

Demyx moved closer.

Zexion leaned up.

Their lips met.

A soft, chaste kiss.

They made it last.

As long as they could.

Knowing it could be their last.

When they pulled apart, Zexion's face was wet from Demyx's tears.

"I have to go." Demyx said, tears no longer falling.

"I know." Zexion answered.

Demyx stood and walked to the door. He knocked on it and the key was heard in the lock again. It swung open. Demyx took one last look back at the boy he loved.

Zexion's smile was beautiful. His hair was shining in the soft moonlight.

"Goodbye." Zexion said.

Demyx left the room.

The door slammed shut behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You're to stay here." Xigbar said standing by the door. "And I'm to lock you in, so you won't try and follow."

Demyx nodded, hearing the words but not listening to them. Axel looked mutinous.

Xigbar left, shutting the door.

They heard the lock click.

Roxas sat down on the sofa next to Demyx. His sunshine blonde hair glowing in the afternoon sunlight that spilled from the window.

He opened his mouth to comfort Demyx. Then realised he couldn't say anything.

Demyx was the one who would lose the most today.

Either his uncle,

Or his lover.

Roxas settled for putting his arm around his friend's shoulders. Demyx rested his head on the smaller boys shoulder and quietly cried. Axel came over and sat on his other side.

He caught Roxas' eyes over Demyx's head. Emerald stared into sapphire.

They heard a car engine start.

They heard it accelerate.

Then vanish into the distance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zexion had fallen asleep where Demyx had left him.

He woke lying on the floor with the chain digging into his side.

He pushed himself up, squinting as the sunlight reached his eyes.

The sun. Bright and beautiful.

"_Not very appropriate for the day."_ He thought.

The lock on the door clicked.

"There ya go Princess," came the cocky voice of one of his guards. "Just knock when you wanna leave yo?"

Zexion looked up to see Marluxia walk in.

He had a tray in his hands which he placed on the floor in front of the young boy. The door clanged shut behind him.

Zexion looked down at his breakfast.

Two pieces of hot buttered toast, orange juice and an apple.

He picked up a piece of toast.

Marluxia smiled and sat in front of him.

Zexion thought the smile was rather strained.

"I won't say that you're… the bad guy in this. Because that's not fair," Marluxia's voice was unusually hoarse, like he'd been crying all night. "I think you're both doing the wrong thing. You don't have to gamble to win your freedom."

He laughed softly and a little ruefully.

"I did because I had to. And I'll always regret that decision."

"I know." Zexion whispered, starting on the second piece of toast. He was very hungry.

Marluxia looked away sadly.

"Okay, I'll leave you now." He rose gracefully to his feet. "The next time I see you will be across the table."

"Thank you, Marluxia."

The longer they waited the more impatient Zexion got. He was ready now.

Just when he stopped waiting to hear the key in the lock, he heard footsteps approaching.

The door was unlocked and swung open to reveal two tall figures.

One of them Zexion recognized as Axel's older brother. He had heard his name was Reno. He had red hair like Axel's that finished in a long thin ponytail and his eyes were the same emerald green. He had a staff over his shoulder and was looking down at Zexion.

His companion was called Riku. He had long silver hair that shimmered prettily in the light. His eyes were a piercing icy-blue colour. He also had a staff in his hand.

Zexion knew, however, that the staffs were for show. They both had guns on their person at all times.

"It's time yo." Reno said walking into the cold room.

He grabbed the chain where it was cuffed to the wall and pulled out a small key.

Riku stayed by the door. Zexion guessed it was to try put him off of escaping.

Why would he escape?

He had nowhere to run to.

And besides, he was the one who challenged Luxord.

Reno cuffed the chain to his own wrist. Zexion wondered why. If he did want to escape he was now close enough to the older red head to steal his gun and hold him hostage.

Then he saw Riku's eyes and knew that, if it came to that, the silverette wouldn't hesitate to shoot Reno too.

Reno walked to the door and when Zexion felt the tug on the chain he followed.

Reno walked ahead and Riku walked behind.

They escorted him outside.

The bright sunshine assailed Zexion's senses and he threw up an arm to shield his eyes.

The air felt heavy though. And there were black clouds on the horizon.

He saw two black cars. Marluxia was looking at him from the door of the one in front. They stared at each other before an arm dressed in black reached out of the car and wrapped itself around Marluxia's waist. He looked away from Zexion and leaned down to enter the car.

Zexion knew that Marluxia was Luxord's boyfriend. So that meant that the arm had belonged to Luxord.

The man he was gambling his life with.

Reno entered the second car and tugged Zexion into it.

Riku got into the front seat.

A tall man with long black hair and a patch over one eye got into the driver's seat.

The car's engine started.

They accelerated away from the estate. And away from Demyx.


	2. Chapter 2

Thunder crashed overhead. Rain started pouring down the windows. Xigbar put the window wipers on.

They tipped back and forth hypnotically.

"Well this is crap yo!" said Reno putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in the chair.

The ever-present reminder of Zexion's captivity clinked.

"Tell me about it! Sudden rain and thunder all in one day! And the morning looked to be so nice!" Xigbar replied.

They had been in the car for fifteen minutes and Riku hadn't said a word, Reno had been making wise cracks about everything and Xigbar had been replying cleverly.

They were acting normally.

The key word there being 'acting'.

Riku's fist was clenched around his staff tightly.

Reno's laugh was forced.

Xigbar's grip on the steering wheel was strong.

They were worried.

They didn't know if they would lose their boss.

Or if they would lose Demyx's love and trust.

"We're here."

The first words Riku had spoken.

Xigbar pulled over by an old abandoned building.

The other car was empty. They'd already headed in.

…

They walked down the steel staircase. The chain kept hitting the metal railings. Riku pulled open a door. They walked into a small, dark, oddly warm room. It was lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling.

A table was in the centre of the room with two chairs.

One was already being sat in.

Luxord.

The Gambler of Fate as he was nicknamed in certain circles.

Marluxia was stood behind him with one hand on his shoulder. Zexion could see that the willowy pinkette was trembling.

There were various other guys spread around the room.

Zexion guessed they were bodyguards.

"_A bit pointless."_ He thought.

Reno pulled him over to the chair and then unlocked the cuff on his own wrist. He chained Zexion to a metal railing that ran around the room.

Zexion sat down in front of Luxord.

Marluxia pulled a gun from his belt. A shiny, black, revolver style one.

He put one bullet into the gun.

He spun the cylinder around.

Then placed the gun on the table between the two players.

"Guests first." Luxord said in his impeccable British accent.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Demyx stared listlessly out of the window. The weather had taken a turn for the worst. Rain crashed to the ground and thunder and lightning split the sky.

Axel and Roxas watched their best friend slowly dissolve.

Demyx felt as though he was losing himself.

Twisting down and down and down into a deep, dark hole.

He didn't know if he would ever be able to climb out of it.

The lightning flashed, lighting up the room.

Demyx saw the last image of Zexion in his head.

_He was leaning on the stone wall, the silver chain glowing ominously in the moonlight. His soft lilac hair illuminated beautifully. His eyes smiling, full of love and yet, with a hidden deadness to them._

Demyx slammed his fist on the windowsill and Roxas jumped.

Demyx turned to his friends.

"We have to get out of here. We've gotta stop it!"

"Demyx we can't get out of this room! And we don't know where they've gone!" Roxas tried to reason with the dirty-blonde.

Demyx and Axel exchanged glances.

"We can, and me and Axel know where they are."

Demyx reached for a silver chain hung around his neck.

He held out a long, ornately styled, dark silver key.

Comprehension dawned on Roxas' face.

"A skeleton key." He whispered.

"I don't know if it'll work but…" Demyx said walking over to the door. He pushed the key into the lock. They all held their breath.

Click.

The door swung open revealing the torrential downpour.

They ran.

Faster than they had ever done before.

Their heartbeats became timers.

Counting each step, each breath, each second.

The rain bounced off them and the thunder roared its displeasure.

Demyx was breaking the rules.

For the first time he was going against his uncle's wishes.

He slipped on the sodden tarmac but caught himself on one hand and carried on running.

The other two were just behind him.

Then a flash of lightning revealed the building he wanted. Two sleek, rain washed black cars sat outside them.

As they approached however, the doors on one car opened.

Reno and Riku stepped out, staffs in hand.

Demyx skidded to a halt.

He didn't have time for this!

"Please, Reno, Riku. I don't… I don't want this." Tears started in his eyes as he looked at the hard expressions on their faces.

"Sorry Dem, but we can't let you in yo?"

No, he'd come this far in the rain. Only to be pushed away.

"We'll take this Dem, you run in while we fight them." Said Roxas as he and Axel walked towards the guards.

"You gonna fight me bro?" Reno asked, a roguish grin curling his lips.

"If I have to." Axel pulled his own staff from his waist.

Roxas and Riku simply watched each other. Like two cats, measuring the other one up.

Roxas pulled his staff from his hip and he and Axel gave the weapons a flick with their wrists and the staffs became as long as the others.

Demyx stared. He didn't like to fight but it had to be done. But seeing Axel against Reno. Brother against brother, was saddening.

He inched towards the door.

Thunder cracked overhead.

The four fighters leapt forward with inhuman speed.

A ringing crash echoed around the abandoned spot.

Axel swept the staff towards Reno's feet, trying to trip him. Reno jumped it neatly and sent a high kick at Axel. It caught him in the chin and sent him flying back. He flipped in mid-air however and flew forwards, spinning the staff in one hand.

Roxas and Riku were a blur. They looked like they were dancing. They executed graceful moves perfectly with hands well used to sparring with the staff. Riku's long coat was flying out behind him as he dealt a spinning kick to Roxas' chest. Roxas, anticipating the attack, ducked and brought the staff up in one fluid motion. It caught Riku on the temple and a tiny droplet of blood appeared before being cleansed by the rain.

Demyx bolted for the door. Reno, who was closest to Demyx realised what they were doing and tried to move to stop him. But the distraction gave Axel a chance. He kicked at Reno's head. Reno, sensing rather than seeing the attack, dodged. But not quite fast enough. Axel's boot left a graze on his brother's temple.

They stared at each other, hearts pounding, breathing irregular.

"You never could win against me Axel." Reno said, taunting his younger sibling.

"I don't need to win," Axel spat blood onto the concrete. "Just keep you here long enough."

Zexion's turn.

He looked at the instrument that would determine if he would live or not.

Either way, this piece of crafted metal would set him free.

He reached out a hand to take the morbidly warm weapon.

He spun the cylinder staring into Luxord's cold blue eyes as he did.

Marluxia had turned his back on the game. His shoulders were hunched up and his arms were wrapped around his waist like he was trying to hold himself together.

He placed the muzzle of the gun against his left temple.

He took a deep breath.

Confusion.

"NO!"

Two loud bangs.

A scream.

Blood spattered Zexion's face…..

But it wasn't his.

Demyx was crouched beside him.

He held the end of the gun in his hand.

His head was bowed, Zexion couldn't see his face.

Blood poured down the boy's chest from a wound he couldn't see.

"DEMYX!!"

Marluxia's voice sounded as though it was coming from miles away.

People rushing to him as he sat crouched, just outside of Zexion's reach.

The guards and Marluxia crowded around the beloved boy.

The gun dropped to the ground with a heavy clatter.

Zexion couldn't see his true love.

He pulled against the chain.

It didn't budge.

He pulled,

And pulled.

He fell to his knees and screamed in frustration.

Marluxia turned to look at him.

Tears falling from his pretty eyes.

Zexion's heart stopped.

Then, unbelievably, a smile crept across his face.

"He'll be okay."

Zexion's heartbeat came back, pounding twice as loud and fast in his ears.

They moved so Zexion could see.

Demyx was sitting up.

Blood was pouring from a wound. Not from his chest as Zexion had thought but from his shoulder.

Their eyes met.

Demyx's full of pain and a rising, fiery anger. Zexion's full of astonishment.

Demyx slowly stood up, shaking off the help Marluxia and the guards offered.

Zexion's mouth opened slowly in amazement and his head tilted as he looked up at Demyx.

Demyx staggered slightly as he walked to the table.

Luxord was looking shocked to even see Demyx here.

"This isn't right." Demyx said to his uncle. "This doesn't need to resolve in death!"

Luxord 's look of shock was slowly smoothed away.

"Demyx, I told you to stay behind."

There was a clatter on the stairs and Reno, Axel, Roxas and Riku entered the room. They were soaked to the skin and Axel now had a cut across his cheek and blood dripped down the side of Reno's face, Riku and Roxas looked unharmed.

They looked around in confusion. From Luxord's seemingly uncaring face, to Marluxia's concerned expression to Zexion's stunned, frozen look.

"I know you did, you locked us in," Demyx's voice was trembling in both anger and pain. "But you forgot… you gave me this key."

He held out the shining skeleton key.

Luxord's eyes widened as he remembered.

"Why does this need to be solved in blood? WHY?!" Demyx's sudden shout made Marluxia and Zexion jump.

Demyx held out his hands to Luxord. They were drenched in his own ruby red blood.

"There!!" He yelled. "MY blood will pay for Zexion's freedom!!"

Luxord simply stared.

Demyx felt an unusual anger hurtling up inside of him.

He roared and slammed his fist onto the table. He looked around and then spotted Reno.

He walked unsteadily over to the red head.

"Demyx?"

"Give me your gun." Demyx's voice was quiet.

"What?! No way Dem, we can…!" Reno tried to argue.

But Demyx reached into his jacket and pulled out the modern weapon in one fluid motion.

They all tried to stop him as he marched over to Zexion.

Zexion looked up into the hard, cold eyes of his lover.

He looked like his uncle.

He licked his dry lips.

He closed his eyes.

"DEMYX NO!!" Roxas yelled.

The second gunshot rang out.

Zexion felt warm, soft lips against his.

He felt hands grasp his shoulders and pull him to his feet.

His wrist felt lighter.

He opened his eyes.

The chain had been snapped by a single bullet.

He was free.

Free.

He looked into Demyx's face.

He saw freedom and love reflected in the sea-green.

"Come on."

He took Zexion's hand and pulled him to the door.

Blood still oozed from his wound.

Zexion looked back at the faces of his friends.

He smiled.

He was free.

* * *

I couldn't decide until the very end whether to have Demyx die or to let him live :) In the end i couldn't let him die so they got their happy ending :D Hope you enjoyed it! Please review :)


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